Title: WEATHER UNIT: Low and high pressures systems in the film, "THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW"
Authors: Sherry Altman and Bonnie Quackenbush
School: George Junior Republic
Subject and Grade Level: Earth Science, Climate; any level
Objectives:
Students will learn about Low and High Pressure Systems
Students will watch a small clip in the movie "THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW" to apply the knowledge
Students will understand that filmmakers may choose to make factual errors purposely
Students will identify intentions and goals of feature films in general.
Students will develop questions related to climate change events depicted in the movie
Students will question credibility and accuracy in other films with scientific content
Students will become aware of how movies impact public opinion on societal questions
Students will feel empowered to question media messages
Students will understand that most media messages have a point of view or bias.
Vocabulary:
Low Pressure Systems - Cyclones - High Pressure Systems - Anti-Cyclones
Materials:
"THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW" DVD - Projector and computer w/ DVD player
Time Needed:
Lesson Steps:
Preparation
Several weeks before the unit on climate/weather, show "The Day after Tomorrow" to students in its entirety.
Just prior to this class, teach unit on weather (maps, temperature, air pressure, wind, storms, etc.)
Day of Lesson
1. Present lecture on Low and High Pressure Systems (below)
Low Pressure Systems
winds blow in and to the left
all low pressure systems are lower pressure on the inside
low pressure means air rises
rising air cools and condensates, making clouds, precipitation
high pressure is found in the middle of the high pressure system
high pressure means air sinks
sinking air hits the ground and spreads out or dissipates
therefore, there are clear skies, no clouds, no rain
2. Show short clip from "The Day after Tomorrow" (the high pressure system illustration at 51:45-53:10. "Jack is on the phone/ice age" on movie).
3. As a group, students should be able to note invalid points (high pressure is a means to clear weather, not disastrous storms, as film shows).
(The rest of this lesson is modeled after Project Look Sharp's "Twister"/Tornadoes lesson plan. Primary purpose is to teach media literacy i.e., science as presented in feature films.)
Continue with a discussion about the purpose of this film (ENTERTAINMENT), and whether it was successful.
Discuss who created the film (RONALD EMMERICH) and why he may have made this film.
Ask the students what they know about consequences of climate change, and where they get their information. (MOST SAY TELEVISION)
Ask them to give examples of content they thought was inaccurate, or exaggerated.
Raise the question of where to go to find out the accuracy of science presented in a movie, or in this case, to learn more about global warming.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5058474/ns/us_news-environment/The Science and Fiction of "The Day after Tomorrow"
A well-balanced short video news report (before the film was released) showing several points of view on the film and global warming. We used this in the classroom to do a tiny bit of media decoding, i.e., showing the bias of each person interviewed.
http://geolor.com/The_Day_After_Tomorrow_Movie.htmGood/bad science - Day after Tomorrow
Web-page created by a former science teacher with excellent scientific explanations, lesson extensions, and more web resources.
http://www.scienceandentertainmentexchange.org/The Science and Entertainment Exchange
The organization ..."provides entertainment industry professionals with access to top scientists and engineers to help bring the reality of cutting-edge science to creative and engaging storylines. ... "The portrayal of science – its practitioners, its methods, its effects – has often posed a challenge to the entertainment community. ... science’s many complexities have confounded even the most talented writer, director, or producer, time and again pitting creative license against scientific authenticity and clarity."
http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=11192008National Academy of Sciences press release - NAS Announces Initiative to Connect Entertainment Industry With Top Experts "As science and technology have become staples of American television, the bar has been raised for better and more accurate science."
http://moviesheets.com/site/subject-list.php?sid=13Meteorology and Climate Movie Worksheets
A GREAT website for finding feature films related to curriculum topics, with accompanying teacher-submitted worksheets.
Low and high pressures systems in the film, "THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW"
Authors: Sherry Altman and Bonnie Quackenbush
School: George Junior Republic
Subject and Grade Level: Earth Science, Climate; any level
Objectives:
Vocabulary:
Low Pressure Systems - Cyclones - High Pressure Systems - Anti-Cyclones
Materials:
"THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW" DVD - Projector and computer w/ DVD player
Time Needed:
Lesson Steps:
Preparation
Several weeks before the unit on climate/weather, show "The Day after Tomorrow" to students in its entirety.
Just prior to this class, teach unit on weather (maps, temperature, air pressure, wind, storms, etc.)
Day of Lesson
1. Present lecture on Low and High Pressure Systems (below)
Low Pressure Systems
High Pressure Systems
2. Show short clip from "The Day after Tomorrow" (the high pressure system illustration at 51:45-53:10. "Jack is on the phone/ice age" on movie).
3. As a group, students should be able to note invalid points (high pressure is a means to clear weather, not disastrous storms, as film shows).
(The rest of this lesson is modeled after Project Look Sharp's "Twister"/Tornadoes lesson plan. Primary purpose is to teach media literacy
i.e., science as presented in feature films.)
Continue with a discussion about the purpose of this film (ENTERTAINMENT), and whether it was successful.
Discuss who created the film (RONALD EMMERICH) and why he may have made this film.
Ask the students what they know about consequences of climate change, and where they get their information. (MOST SAY TELEVISION)
Ask them to give examples of content they thought was inaccurate, or exaggerated.
Raise the question of where to go to find out the accuracy of science presented in a movie, or in this case, to learn more about global warming.
Additional Resources/Background Information:
http://www.imdb.com/ Internet Movie Database
Use to show a good resource for information on any film director, and for "goofs" identified in a film. Page on Day after Tomorrow: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0319262/
http://www.blackfilm.com/20040528/features/rolandemmerich.shtml The Day after Tomorrow: An interview with Ronald Emmerich
Use to show what Mr. Emmerich says about why he made the film.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5058474/ns/us_news-environment/ The Science and Fiction of "The Day after Tomorrow"
A well-balanced short video news report (before the film was released) showing several points of view on the film and global warming. We used this in the classroom to do a tiny bit of media decoding, i.e., showing the bias of each person interviewed.
http://geolor.com/The_Day_After_Tomorrow_Movie.htm Good/bad science - Day after Tomorrow
Web-page created by a former science teacher with excellent scientific explanations, lesson extensions, and more web resources.
http://www.scienceandentertainmentexchange.org/ The Science and Entertainment Exchange
The organization ..."provides entertainment industry professionals with access to top scientists and engineers to help bring the reality of cutting-edge science to creative and engaging storylines. ... "The portrayal of science – its practitioners, its methods, its effects – has often posed a challenge to the entertainment community. ... science’s many complexities have confounded even the most talented writer, director, or producer, time and again pitting creative license against scientific authenticity and clarity."
http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=11192008 National Academy of Sciences press release -
NAS Announces Initiative to Connect Entertainment Industry With Top Experts
"As science and technology have become staples of American television, the bar has been raised for better and more accurate science."
http://www.wunderground.com/resources/education/thedayafter.asp The Day after Tomorrow: Could it really happen?
Great scientific facts from a meteorologist PhD.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/05/0527_040527_DayAfter.html "Day after Tomorrow" Ice Age "Impossible," Researcher Says
http://moviesheets.com/site/subject-list.php?sid=13 Meteorology and Climate Movie Worksheets
A GREAT website for finding feature films related to curriculum topics, with accompanying teacher-submitted worksheets.
Email contact:
Sherry Altman: altmans@gjrmail.com
For additional free online lessons integrating media literacy and critical thinking into the curriculum, go to www.projectlooksharp.org